UPDATE: June 2, 12 p.m.
New Jersey Sen. Ed Durr has been unable to get his first piece of legislation out of the transportation committee to the chamber floor for a vote. Durr's gas tax relief bill, introduced March 4, is intended to soften the blow of inflation and soaring gas prices by giving taxpayers back some $1.2 billion in the form of $250 and $500 payments, depending on marriage status.
Durr asked Senate President Nick Scutari to bring his gas tax relief bill up for a full vote during a session at the State House in Trenton, but the motion was denied because of what Scutari called procedural and substantive deficiencies in the legislation.
The original story follows
SOUTH JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — In his first move as a new state senator, Edward Durr is working to give people some money to help soften the blow of inflation and soaring gas prices.
Sen. Durr says his goal in office is to be a voice for the people and to help families as much as he can. He has introduced a bill that would send $500 to New Jersey residents who earn less than $250,000 a year.
“This is tailored more to the people who literally live check to check,” he said.
He says the bill has bipartisan support, and leaders in the senate and assembly are giving it serious consideration, but it can’t pass now unless there is a special vote in Trenton, which Durr would like to see.
“All come back for a special session to vote on this bill, given the fact that the governor even himself said that my bill was worthy of a debate,” he said.
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Durr says it’s important to note the money for this has already been collected, so it’s not a new tax. He says this would come via tax refunds.
“You know, there’s been some people out there who said, ‘Oh, it’s just another hand out. I’m gonna have to pay for it.’ No, you’ve already paid for it — this is your money, so why not get it back.”
It is not yet clear if a vote on the bill would rise to a level warranting a special session, so Durr, a Republican, might have to wait until May to see if his first project gets passed in a Democratic-controlled legislature.
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